Mary Davis resorted to the Bertie Ahern defence last night to explain away why ICS approved 100pc mortgages while she sat on the board.

The Quango Queen is still whingeing about the focus on her role on what she regards as a small number of boards.

After October 27, she'll have plenty of time to serve on as many boards as she wants because she's not moving to Aras an Uachtarain.

Nobody cares

Diva Norris discovered yesterday that the days when his every word mattered are long gone.

Norris is now reduced to desperate attempts to get some attention like his claim yesterday he was going to make a "very important speech at the gates of Leinster House".

Turns out he was just having a go at the Government over an issue that has precious little to do with the presidential election. The only way he'll get some publicity now is if he publishes those letters of clemency.

Dazzling lights

Former President Mary Robinson used to leave a candle in the window of Aras an Uachtarain for the emigrant community. But the new president is going to be shining lots of lights.

At the Inclusion Ireland debate in the Mansion House yesterday, Sean Gallagher said he would "shine a light" on people with disabilities.

So did Martin McGuinness. Michael D Higgins said his presidential seminars would "enable light to shine" on the gaps in disability services.

David Norris had enough, saying he had heard the phrase three times already. "If all of us were to shine a light, people will get dazzled," he said.

Not very inclusive

Sean Gallagher hit Michael Twee a cheeky upper cut over his demand for a one-to-one debate between the two frontrunners.

He was helped by the location of the debate the pair were attending.

"Why would we exclude five other candidates?" he said. "I'm just leaving a conference now on Inclusion Ireland and I think that will not be very inclusive," he said.